The class of polymers of carbon monoxide and olefins has been known for some time. U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,286 (Brubaker) disclosed such polymers of relatively low carbon monoxide content in the presence of free radical initiators, e.g., peroxy compounds. Great Britain Patent 1,081,304 discloses similar polymers of higher carbon monoxide content in the presence of alkylphosphine complexes of palladium compounds as catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,412 (Nozaki) extended the reactions to produce linear alternating polymers in the presence of arylphosphine complexes of palladium moieties and certain inert solvents.
More recently, the class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon, now known as polyketones or ketone polymers, has become of greater interest. U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,903 (VanBroekhoven, et al.) discloses a linear alternating ketone terpolymer of carbon monoxide, ethylene, and other olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as propylene. Processes for production of the polyketones typically involve the use of a catalyst composition formed from a compound of a Group VIII metal selected from palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, arsenic or antimony. U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,144 VanBroekhoven, et al.) discloses a process for preparing polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon using the preferred catalyst comprising a compound of palladium, the anion of a non-hydrohalogenic acid having a pKa of below about 6 and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,903 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,144 are hereby incorporated by reference.
The resulting polymers are relatively high molecular weight materials having established utility as premium thermoplastics in the production of shaped articles, such as containers for food and drink and parts for the automotive industry, which are produced by processing the ketone polymer according to well known methods.
This family of polymers is called polyketones. The polyketone is, generally, semi-crystalline with a melting point in the range of about 170 to about 250.degree. C.; depending on the polyketone olefinic monomer ratio. In the melt, the polyketone exhibits rheological behavior typical for a linear entangled flexible chain. Therefore, these polyketones are suitable for use in a broad range of processes and equipment which have been developed for conventional thermoplastics.
One unusual aspect of the Theological behavior of polyketones is their tendency to exhibit a gradual increase in melt viscosity with increasing residence time in the melt. Many thermoplastics undergo chemical changes in the melt, but most chemical changes are the consequence of chemical scission reactions and involve a gradually decreasing melt viscosity. Aliphatic polyketones, however, undergo (aldol)-condensation which results in an increasing melt viscosity due to cross-linking of the polyketones. This cross-linking reaction during processing is unfavorable since it has significant influence on the melt processing behavior and the final properties of the polyketone. Therefore a lot of effort has been expended upon the melt stabilization of the polyketone.
Many procedures of the melt stabilization of polyketone are based upon the addition of additives such as "E-AA" (U.S. Pat. No. 5049630, U.S. Pat. No. 5071916), hydroxyapatite (BP 478088, U.S. Pat. No. 5066701, U.S. Pat. No. 5077333, U.S. Pat. No. 5115003, U.S. Pat. No. 5122564, U.S. Pat. No. 5122565, U.S. Pat. No. 5141981), aluminates (EP 310166, EP 489517, EP 629663, U.S. Pat. No. 4761448, U.S. Pat. No. 4950703, U.S. Pat. No. 4954555, U.S. Pat. No. 5508329, U.S. Pat. No. 5527851, WO 9301239, U.S. Pat. No. 5141979), zinc-aluminates (EP 440293, U.S. Pat. No. 4999399, U.S. Pat. No. 5028652), aluminumsilicate (GB 2249549, U.S. Pat. No. 5115002), hydrotalcite (U.S. Pat. No. 5286785) and oxides (EP 529696, U.S. Pat. No. 5126496, U.S. Pat. No. 5128402).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,822 and 5,135,976 and International Application WO 92/14780 all disclose polyketones having in combination an epoxy compound. In WO 92/14780, there is disclosed a combination of an epoxy compound and an amine compound in a stabilizing amount. However, there does not appear to be any prior art that has been uncovered disclosing a polyketone with an epoxy resin in combination with a cross-linking agent and/or a catalyst for curing the epoxy.